As a finishing touch, I make the contours more varied by widening the lines near the outer edge of the wreath with additional applications of ink. I also balance the image by adding new elements like thin fluffy twigs to its right side.
Christmas Inspiration: Drawing a Holiday Wreath
The season of the Holidays are upon us, along with a cozy home atmosphere, and winter joy. So why not create something festive? In this tutorial, I’ll show you the process of drawing a beautiful Christmas wreath using a graphite pencil and ink liners.
The complete artwork will resemble an illustration from a vintage book. This style is charming, regardless of the time of year.
Looking ahead, it is worth mentioning that drawings of this kind are quite versatile. For example, you can decorate a greeting card with your art and share it with your friends and family! A gift that was created with love is always sincere and warm.
The Materials You’ll Need
For this project, I’ll be using an ordinary HB graphite pencil and two ink liners (0.1 and 0.05). Also, you’ll likely need a soft eraser to remove the unnecessary graphite marks.
The approximate size of the paper is relatively small, 21×20 cm (8.2 × 7.9 inches).
If you prefer a looser, more spontaneous approach to drawing with ink, feel free to use liners that create a wider line (for example, 0.3).
Choosing Your Christmas Subject
We have a lot of choices here. We can easily develop a long list of various objects and characters that are associated with winter holidays. Here are a few ideas…
- A decorated Christmas tree
- Candles
- Candies, chocolate, and sweets
- A gingerbread man
- Mulled wine
- Gift boxes with various patterns, bows, and other decorations
- Spices like cinnamon or cloves
- Tangerines and other citrus fruits
- Garlands
- Mistletoe, winterberry, and other Christmas plants
- Bells
- Snowflakes
- A Christmas deer
- A snowman
Of course, there are many more things we could add. Perhaps you could include something that is specific to the culture of your country or some local traditions. The more individual your concept is, the more interesting your drawing will be!
I have decided to draw a wreath, so the next task is to imagine its components.
The floral elements are a significant part of this subject since they make the wreath recognizable. In preparation, I draw several examples of plants. They may be quite stylized and small in size. This sketch is only for your reference.
You may choose to draw these floral elements as you see them or you may choose to add a bit of imagination.
If you aren’t sure how to ‘adorn’ your wreath, a quick Pinterest or Google search will help (there are so many options). I prefer creating a couple of miniature sketches, just to put my ideas in order. At this stage, I decide to make my wreath slightly asymmetrical – the left side will be wider, more massive.
A graphite underdrawing is the starting point for our finished artwork. First, I draw a circle with light lines. It’s fine if it’s slightly uneven. This circle will be the core line of our wreath.
Be sure to leave enough space on the periphery of the circle if your plans include creating a larger wreath with lots of prominent elements.
I block out several areas where the groups of larger objects (like cones and other decorations) should be, according to my idea.
My lines are quite heavy in the image below, just for demonstration purposes. It’s better to keep your pencil marks light.
I fill the general shape of the wreath with the elements I wish to include – the cones, winterberries, various twigs with leaves, and small decorative balls.
The conifer branches fill the space around the ‘islets’ of the objects. The botanical elements add to the drawing and create additional interesting details!
The Pen and Ink Experience
“The Pen and Ink Experience” is a comprehensive drawing course designed to guide absolute beginners to a level of producing professional quality pen and ink drawings.
VIEW COURSE
A big bow at the left side is the largest element. Its function here is to attract the viewer’s attention. The wreath looks voluminous, yet still balanced.
You need.
Paper (I use blackboard effect place mats from Newton and the Apple).
Pen (I use Sakura Gelly Roll metallic pens)
A plate or something to draw around – it should be smaller than you think – saucer sized for a dinner plate sized wreath.
A pencil to draw the circle.
Method
Practise drawing the 3 types of plants used in the ring – or decide on your own.
Until you are happy to put them together. Then watch the video and have a go.
Don’t worry if it looks wonky half way round – that always happens – by the time it is finished it will look beautiful (and circular!).
Here is a video of me drawing a ring from start to finish.
I have used this to make place mats for the Christmas table but it would also work for cards, thank you notes, wrapping paper etc.
I would love to see how you get on.
